Gallup rallies past Kirtland Central, keeps district softball record perfect

Gallup turned a five-run hole into one of its most important wins of the spring, beating Kirtland Central 11-9 on the Gallup High School softball field and keeping its District 1-4A record spotless. The comeback mattered beyond one rivalry game: it moved the Lady Bengals to 11-7 overall, kept them tied with Aztec at the top of the district race, and extended Gallup’s winning streak over the Lady Broncos to 14 straight games dating back to 2018.

Kirtland Central controlled the early innings with a burst of extra-base power and aggressive offense. The Lady Broncos pushed ahead 6-3 after a second-inning surge, then stretched the margin to 8-3 with a fourth-inning home run and another solo shot. For much of the middle innings, Gallup was forced to chase, but the Lady Bengals kept the deficit from settling in and waited for their late bats to break through.

That answer came in the fifth and sixth innings, where Gallup put together the kind of balanced rally that can carry a district contender. Senior catcher Leia Tso drove in runs, junior first baseman Cheyenne Panzy added a sacrifice fly, and Crystal Maruffo delivered a key single that helped Gallup move in front for the first time. The rally also reflected the depth of a lineup that has leaned on experienced contributors such as Morgan Belone, Tso and Maruffo while getting production from younger players as well.

The win also sharpened the larger picture in District 1-4A. Gallup had already beaten Kirtland Central 2-0 on April 3, sweeping the first two meetings between the teams this season. Around the time of Friday’s victory, Gallup had won seven of its previous eight games, while Kirtland Central’s six-game road winning streak came to an end as it fell to 14-6.

For a program built around a familiar rivalry, the result carried the kind of weight that can shape the rest of the district season. Gallup did not just protect its unbeaten mark in league play. It showed it can absorb an early punch from one of Northwest New Mexico’s most recognizable opponents, recover under pressure and still control the standings when the pressure rises.